Bartleby, the Scrivener

The narrator spends his last interaction with Bartleby attempting to convince the scrivener that the narrator is not responsible for Bartleby’s imprisonment. Who do you think is responsible for Bartleby’s fate, if anybody? Why? Explain using evidence from the text.

First-person narration makes the choice of narrator key in how a story unfolds and events are depicted. How do you think the story would have been different if Bartleby narrated? Or Turkey or Nippers?

Many actions of the characters in the story appear absurd and far from how we expect people to act. Do you think the narrator is an absurd character? Or does he behave realistically? Discuss specific actions he takes throughout the story.

What do you think of the anecdote of the Dead Letter Office? Why might Melville make Bartleby’s employment there uncertain? What might it mean for the narrative if Bartleby never worked there?

Melville frequently uses vivid language to describe the lawyer’s office. How do his descriptions of the office shape your perceptions of it? Why do you think the narrator calls this seemingly bleak place a “snug” space for business?

“Bartleby” was published to a complete lack of approval. It was only decades later that it came to be seen as a classic American short story. Why do you think this is? Compare “Bartleby” to a more successful 19th-century short story, like “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe, to highlight the differences.

Critics often read “Bartleby” as an allegory for Melville’s struggle with writing. What evidence does the text provide for interpreting it this way?

Clear communication rarely happens in “Bartleby.” What role does the lack of communication play within the story?